14 Jul Nerdy For Thirty #18: Spider-Man: Far From Home

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

dir. Jon Watts, starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jacob Batalon, Samuel L. Jackson

Spider-Man: Far From Home, the second installment in Jon Watts’ Spider-Man trilogy, sends Peter Parker on a summer school trip through Europe, where he’s recruited by super spy Nick Fury and Quentin Beck to help stop the Elementals who are terrorizing the area.

Directed by Jon Watt, returning from Spider-Man: Homecoming, Far From Home is possibly the largest scale Spider-Man movie to date. Set across a number of countries in Europe and featuring not just Mysterio but the Elementals as well, this film gives our titular hero the most work he’s had to juggle yet. Watt is more than up to the challenge, delivering an action-packed story just north of two hours as Peter fights to appease Nick Fury, Zendaya, and Quentin Beck. While the reveal of Beck’s true nature is somewhat ham-fistedly done, the reveal is surprising nonetheless to those not familiar with the works of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. While Mysterio’s motivations are somewhat vague, other than revenge against a dead Tony Stark and thirst for the limelight, the character himself is still infinitely charming, played as only Jake Gyllenhaal could. Mysterio’s relationship with Peter is the heart of the story, making Beck’s second act turn even more heartbreaking for the wall crawler. The chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Holland is undeniable; the pair make for a great screen pairing.

Speaking of screen pairing, Holland and Zendaya once continue to further their relationship as Peter vies for MJ’s affections. While being the story’s B plot, Peter and MJ get more than enough time together for the audience to see a true affection for each other. The fact that MJ is able to figure out Peter’s secret identity on her own gives MJ an agency not seen before out of other romantic leads of Spider-Man movies. It’s MJ’s social awkwardness, quick wit, and tenacity, displayed wonderfully by Zendaya that makes MJ one of the best iterations of the character.

Tom Holland returns for his fifth outing as Spider-Man, his second feature length solo. At this point, Holland has come to embody the character almost as much as Robert Downey Jr. did Tony Stark. Holland continues to play Peter with all the manic nervous energy of a high school teenager with added baggage of carrying an enormous secret. Spider-Man’s relatability to the everyday person (relationship problems, struggles to make rent with a low paying job) have long since endeared him to readers; Holland’s version, while not quite at the classic level of Spidey fans have been reading for years, still manages to be believable in the role; thanks to Holland you root for Spider-Man all throughout out the movie (except maybe when he’s terrorizing that one guy on the bus).

Samuel L. Jackson returns as Nick Fury (or does he??), bringing along Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill. With limited screen time, Jackson still manages to wring more charm and humor out of the character, the ever-present straight man in a comedy of situations. The Fury and Hill characters are used smartly in this movie as a way to bring back fan favorites while teeing up future events. It’s through Nick Fury that the audience has its first hint of the possibility of a multiverse, an infinite number of universes spread across the cosmos. With the tiny nod, the seeds of the next saga of the MCU was born.

Overall, Far From Home, while generally considered the worst of the MCU Spider-Man trilogy, is still incredibly entertaining. Dealing with the ramifications of Endgame, the loss of his mentor and idol, and taking him outside of the comfort of Queens gives Peter ample opportunity for growth. His deepening relationship with MJ, along with the introduction of the long-awaited live action villain Mysterio makes for a fun adventure that mostly satisfies. With action set pieces brilliantly directed by Jon Watts, and a melodic score from Michael Giacchino, Spider-Man: Far From Home is a fine dénouement on the MCU’s Infinity Saga.

Review by Darryl Mansel